AbstractRecognizing that parental adaptation to having a child with a disability is a life‐long process that occurs within the context of the family's developmental life cycle, psychologists are becoming increasingly interested in life‐cycle transitions and critical events of families with a child who is disabled. Professionals are just now beginning to examine systematically the potential for periodic changes in adaptation throughout a family's life cycle and ways in which professionals can support family members. This article reviews the literature regarding transitions and critical events that present challenges to families and the sources of support that families use during such times. Implications for providing support to families are discus